Oscars, murder, tennis, opera and more – it’s April at Chelmsford Picture House.

April brings a host of blockbuster films and cinema events to the Chelmsford Picture House’s state-of-the-art screen.

The celebrated ‘Darkest Hour’ (PG) will be shown on Thursday 5 April. The film earned British actor Gary Oldham an Oscar for his performance as Winston Churchill in the early days of World War II. Newly appointed as the British Prime Minister, Churchill must win over his party and parliament, and convince doubters that the war against Nazi Germany should be continued, rather than start peace negotiations. The film also stars Kristen Scott Thomas, Lily James and Ronal Pickup, and was directed by Joe Wright.

‘Murder on The Orient Express’ (12A), is based upon the classic Agatha Christie detective novel. The 2017 adaptation stars Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot, and has an amazing supporting cast including Michelle Pfeiffer, Penelope Cruz, Judi Dench, Johnny Depp and Daisy Ridley. When a murder takes place on the very train that detective Poirot is travelling on, he is hired to solve the case. The film will be screened twice on Tuesday 10 April, as a Baby Cinema screening at 11am and a standard screening at 8pm.

‘Battle of The Sexes’ (12A) is a sports comedy drama revolving around the 1973 tennis match when Billie Jean King played ex-tennis champ Bobby Riggs. The match was billed ‘The Battle of The Sexes’, and was watched by 90 million people worldwide, during the sexual revolution and the rise of the women’s movement. The film stars Emma Stone and Steve Carell as King and Riggs and will be screened on Thursday 12 April.

The musical drama ‘The Greatest Showman on Earth’ (15) stars Hugh Jackman as P.T. Barnum, the American showman who became world famous for his shows. The film is a riveting and inspiring rollercoaster of a movie that celebrates the wonder of when dreams come true. The film also stars Zac Efron, Michelle Williams and Rebecca Ferguson. Catch this wonderful piece of entertainment on Tuesday 24 April.

Fans of Shakespeare will be served two helpings of ‘Macbeth’, an operatic version live from the Royal Opera House on Wednesday 4 April at 7.15, and a pre-recorded dramatic version from the Royal Shakespeare Company at Stratford-upon-Avon on Monday 16 April at 7pm. The ballet ‘Giselle’ will be shown, pre-recorded from The Bolshoi Ballet, Moscow, on Sunday 8 April at 4pm. The documentary ‘Vincent Van Gogh’, which was pre-recorded at The Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam, will be screened on Wednesday 18 April at 8pm.

All of the Chelmsford Picture House films, apart from Baby Cinema screenings and live theatre screenings, start at 8pm.